Media Center « Press Releases »

Press Releases

Catherine Bakerian, Gov. Minner, 302-577-5224;
Emily Cunningham, Sen. Carper, 302-573-6460, cell: 302-598-4915;
Meredith Sullivan, Rep. Castle, 302-428-1902;
Neil Cotiaux, FHLBank Pittsburgh, 412-288-2851, cell: 412-335-9488;
John Brennan, University of Delaware, 302-831-2072;

Minner, Carper, Castle Unveil Delaware’s ‘Blueprint Communities’; New Community Development Initiative Offers Tools for Success so Nine Neighborhoods Can Plan for Widespread Renewal

Newark, DE, March 10, 2008 - First State Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, U.S. Sen. Thomas Carper and U.S. Rep. Michael Castle took the stage at the University of Delaware today to help induct nine new leadership teams who are being given a unique opportunity to reinvent their communities.
Standing before a crowd of more than 100 community advocates at the Louise & David Roselle Center for the Arts, three of the state’s highest elected officials joined together to welcome the nine communities, who have been chosen to participate in a comprehensive revitalization initiative called Blueprint Communities. The initiative is designed to help older neighborhoods get their second wind and plan for community renewal more effectively.

Named as Blueprint Communities today were: Belvedere/Cedar Heights and Vicinity (Wilmington area); Dover Community Partnership; East Side, Wilmington; Edgemoor (Wilmington area); Hilltop/Little Italy, Wilmington; Historic Overlook Colony Vicinity (Wilmington area); Riverside Initiative, Wilmington; Rose Hill, New Castle County; and Second District, Wilmington.

Sponsored by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (FHLBank) and the University of Delaware’s Center for Community Research and Service, the new Blueprint Communities initiative provides each team with community development training valued at approximately $25,000, a mini-grant and improved access to funding sources. The Delaware program follows similar programs in Pennsylvania and West Virginia begun in 2005 and 2007 involving a total of 32 communities.

Delaware’s new Blueprint Communities were chosen based on their current capacity to plan and implement community revitalization initiatives and assemble diverse, broad-based teams that will develop detailed strategic plans for their communities’ futures.

“Blueprint Communities helps cities and neighborhoods develop stronger leaders, a clear community vision and a detailed plan for sustainable community growth,” said Gov. Minner. “The teams we induct today - nearly 100 members strong - will engage in months of hard work and personal sacrifice, with no pay, for the betterment of their communities. We salute them for their leadership and wish them much success.”

“Expanding Blueprint Communities to Delaware will enable even more communities to take part in an initiative that's proven to be highly beneficial in helping local leaders make a real difference in their own backyards,” remarked Sen. Carper. “Community leaders will be able to pull back and examine their neighborhoods’ long-term needs and come up with a practical blueprint for success. The result will be stronger neighborhoods and a more vibrant local economy.”

“Blueprint Communities shows what can happen when academia, business and government work together for a common purpose,” added Rep. Castle. “Everyone associated with this initiative - most especially the University of Delaware and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh - is to be commended for bringing this wonderful program to our state.”

The $25,000 in benefits that each community team receives as part of Blueprint Communities training includes:

• Six days of community revitalization training by the University of Delaware’s Center for Community
• Research and Service including materials, meals and lodging
• A community profile including important key indicators and trends for planning
• Access to a community development consultant for coaching and resources
• A mini-grant for technical assistance, project implementation or predevelopment needs after successful involvement in training
• Improved access to funding sources upon successful completion of the program.

“Each planning team will reflect the diversity of the community they represent and will bring together a variety of stakeholders, including local residents, government officials, developers, bankers and others,” said University of Delaware President Patrick T. Harker, who hosted the event. “They will seek to collectively identify community needs and formulate feasible revitalization projects. Our university is extremely pleased to be associated with this significant initiative.”

The university’s Center for Community Research and Service is primarily responsible for team training. Training begins in April and runs periodically through January 2009. Teams that develop a clear vision for their community’s future and a comprehensive strategic plan will be given access to a network of potential public and private funders for coordinated investments as well as ongoing technical training. In addition, FHLBank Pittsburgh is setting aside funds in its Banking On Business and First Front Door community investment programs to assist Blueprint Communities in small business startup and growth and first-time homeownership. Competitive scoring criteria for the Bank’s Affordable Housing Program have also been aligned to support projects from communities that have holistic development plans, which should aid Blueprint Communities seeking grant money for affordable housing construction and rehabilitation.

“FHLBank is pleased to embark on the third leg of Blueprint Communities within our district of Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia,” FHLBank President and Chief Executive Officer John R. Price concluded. “Wonderful strides in community organization, planning and development have been made in a very short time by many of the teams in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. We expect the same thing to happen once our Delaware teams complete their training.”

FHLBank is providing approximately $250,000 to cover expenses associated with Blueprint Communities training while Delaware Community Investment Corporation has contributed $100,000 to be used as seed grants by Blueprint Communities once they have completed training.

Blueprint Communities program partners include:

• Delaware Community Foundation
• Delaware Community Investment Corporation
• Delaware Community Legal Aid Society
• Delaware State Housing Authority
• First State Community Action Agency
• First State Community Loan Fund
• State of Delaware Office of State Planning Coordination
• United Way of Delaware
• Wachovia
• Wilmington Savings Fund Society (WSFS)
• Wilmington Trust Company

Financial institutions that have representatives on the nine Blueprint Communities teams include Citicorp Trust Bank, JPMorganChase, PNC Bank, Wilmington Savings Fund Society and Wilmington Trust.